To The Stars And Beyond
by headoverhook
Summary: The first time they met they were too young to understand what true love was, and they grew apart in the years that followed. But true love always finds a way, and in the end Emma and Killian found their way back to each other. Lieutenant Duckling AU.


**_This little ficlet is a birthday present for SJ over on Tumblr. I know she likes Lieutenant Duckling, so I wrote a little something. Though technically - in this story - Killian isn't a Lieutenant anymore, but already a Captain. :-)_**

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Emma was wrinkling her dress by fisting it in her hands, probably ruining the smooth fabric, but she was nervous beyond measure. He was finally back, and a meeting with him wasn't far away anymore, wasn't only a wish anymore. His ship was anchoring in the port. He was here now.

But what would happen when she saw him again? Would it be like the last time they saw each other? Would he hardly acknowledge her? Or would it be different this time? Would the deep connection she always felt when he was near come back to the forefront? Or would he been lost to her forever?

The first time she'd seen him she'd been eight, and he'd just come into the palace to live with them. His parents had died in a storm on sea, and his older brother Liam couldn't give him a stable home, since he'd already been the captain of the Jewel of the Realm, and his duty kept him away from Misthaven for most of the year.

Emma hadn't been content at first to share the attention of her parents with this new addition to the household, but with time she'd cherished to have a companion to wrack mischief. They'd grown up together, and at one point her feelings had changed from friendship to love. But before she could acknowledge that her feelings for Killian ran much deeper, he became old enough to accompany his brother on sea, and the next time she saw him he'd been a stuffed up lieutenant that informed her that it was bad form if they spent time together, since she was the princess and he only a mere lieutenant.

But five years had passed since their last meeting, time in which a lot had happened. She'd made first experiences in kissing with the stable boys and the knights of the court, but nothing more had come from it since they'd all been too scared of her parents to try getting any further with her. Not that she ever wanted them to become more intimate with her; the only one she wanted to be touched by intimately had always been Killian.

And Killian's life had also changed. He'd lost his brother to a fever, the missive reaching them two years ago, and her heart had hurt for him, her arms longing to wrap themselves around him and soothe his sorrows.

How did the loss of his beloved brother altered his behavior? Was he the same stuffed up lieutenant she remembered from his last visit, or had he become a hard man?

She just didn't know what to expect.

-/-

But she definitely didn't expect that.

He was dancing with everyone at the ball, laughing and charming his way through the ball room, ignoring her completely. Well, not completely. He'd danced with her at the beginning of the ball, but it'd seemed to be more a duty than joy for him. He hadn't talked to her at all during the dance, going through the motions of the dance almost automatically, his gaze never finding hers.

The disappointment was hitting Emma hard, and she was glad when she could excuse herself to her chambers, wanting to mourn the loss of the man she loved for so long in private.

But she couldn't sleep, the heat of the room being just too oppressive until she finally gave up on finding any sleep that night and wrapped a robe around her naked form before stepping out on the balcony. The air outside wasn't really cooler than the air in her room, but she still felt as if she could breathe easier, and closing her eyes she inhaled deeply, taking in the smells of the gardens under her balcony.

Her eyes snapped opened when she heard the rustling sound from the left; she should have probably been afraid of the dark figure that climbed over the balustrade a moment later, but part of her recognized him in an instant.

"Why are you here?" she asked as he stepped in front of her.

"To get what we both want."

He didn't even give her the chance to process the meaning of his words before his lips crushed on hers, and his tongue swept in. Emma had never been kissed like that before - this urgent, this passionate, this desperate. But she welcomed the kiss, pressing her body into his as he devoured her mouth, her head spinning when his lips left hers.

She felt his body stiffen instantaneously, a rush of cool air brushing over her body when he stepped back, a chilliness that should have been impossible for her to feel considering the surrounding temperature, but she still felt the cold down to her bones.

Wrapping her arms around herself, she looked at him. His head was tilted away from her, his hands balled into fists, and her voice was quivering as she asked, "Killian?"

"Aye?"

But Emma didn't say anything more, didn't know what to say more, how to reach him. She feared that he wouldn't let her in, that he would deny the connection that had always been between them. Her heart was growing heavy with the hurt and pain his withdrawal caused, but then he suddenly let out a huge sigh and pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her neck, his whole body trembling against hers.

"Gods, Emma," he whispered. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too."

She wanted to say so much more, but the lump in her throat hindered her to form any more words. But she didn't have to speak, because he just hauled her up into his arms and carried her back into the room, putting her down in front of her bed, his hands cupping her face.

"Do you know how long I've dreamed of kissing you?" he rasped in a hoarse voice while his thumbs brushed her cheeks, and all she could do was shake her head. "Since you were twelve years old. You just fell down from a tree and scraped your hands and knees pretty badly, but you refused to cry, stalking back to the house with your back straight, and I just wanted to follow you and kiss it better."

"But my mouth wasn't hurt," she said, barely above a whisper. "No need to kiss it better."

"I was fifteen," he replied, and even in the dim light she could see his mouth curling up into a lopsided smirk. "Of course I wanted to kiss your lips."

"But there is nothing to stop you from kissing every part of my body now, is there?"

He hesitated only a moment before reaching for the belt of her robe; it fell to the floor seconds later, followed by her shift, his hands and mouth hungry on her breasts before she could take in another breath.

They stumbled backwards until they fell onto the mattress, and his hand slipped between her thighs while his mouth still suckled at her breast, the new sensations rushing through her body, making it impossible for her to think clearly.

But she wanted to feel him, skin to skin, and her hands ripped at his clothes frantically until he released her breast to shed his clothes. A spark of fear went through her as her eyes fell on his rigid arousal, the sheer size of him seeming too much for her to take.

Doubts were rising up in her, but Killian just pressed her legs apart and before she could voice her doubts he'd lowered his head and started to kiss her down there. She gasped with surprise when his tongue lapped over her, hitting a very sensitive spot over and over again.

Liquid heat pooled between her legs, and the sudden urge to pull him up swept over her. She buried her hands in his hair, enjoying the silkiness of his dark strands for a brief moment, before her body demanded from her to tell him what she wanted, and she tugged at his hair until he looked up, a flash of embarrassment washing over her as she saw his mouth glistening with her arousal.

"What do you want, Your Highness?"

His voice, hoarse and raspy, sent shivers down her spine, making her whole body tingle. She was still a virgin, but she knew enough to whisper, "I want to feel you in me."

He let out a groan then, shifting until his body was covering hers, and locking his gaze with hers he pushed forward, slowly at first until he was stopped by her maidenhood. His arms were shaking with the strain to hold back, and even though Emma knew it would hurt she slipped her hands around his waist and closed her fingers around his ass, urging him forward.

"It's all right, Killian," she whispered. "You won't hurt me."

He stared down at her, his breath coming out in ragged pants and she just wanted him to give up his control, so she pushed her hips upwards and tightened her grip on his ass. She succeeded, his hips snapping forward as he buried himself deep inside of her, and a sharp pain ricocheted through her body, a gasp spilling over her lips. He stiffened immediately, his breath sounding harsh in her ears as he whispered, "Gods, Emma. I'm so sorry. So sorry."

The pain subsided slightly, and the feeling of being stretched to her limits actually started to arouse her. She shifted cautiously against him, lifting her hips from the bed. Her movement apparently triggered some instinct in him, because he pulled back, just to thrust into her again a moment later, and another apology already started to spill out of his mouth as she interrupted him impatiently.

"Do that again," she demanded, and he pushed himself up on his hands, his hips shifting against her.

"Are you sure, love?"

"Yes," she breathed. "I'm sure."

He took her to the stars and beyond, making her body shake and quiver, and when he crushed her body with his afterwards, she just skimmed her hands down his back, relishing in the feeling of finally being one with him.

-/-

Emma woke up with a start when the door of her room was yanked opened and her mother rushed in. She scrambled for the sheets, hoping Killian was covered as she was facing her mother. Snow White was just eyeing her for a few moments, all regal and aloof. Emma felt Killian shift beside her, and a glance out of the corner of her eye affirmed that he was also awake, though clearly startled by the presence of the queen in Emma's chambers.

Emma was desperately searching for an innocent explanation to the fact that Killian was in her bed – though of course there was none – but her mother spoke before she could come up with any explanation at all.

"It's about time you two stopped being stubborn." Emma's mouth fell open with astonishment, but her mother didn't linger on her but swept her gaze to Killian, her voice sounding eerily nonchalant as she said, "Captain Jones? I expect you to come see my husband and I as soon as possible to ask for Emma's hand?"

"Of course, Your Majesty. It was always my intent ..."

"I know, I know," the queen waved him off with a flick of her hand, her mouth twitching as she added, "It took you long enough, though."

Emma's mouth was still hanging opened when the door closed behind her mother, and it took her a few moments before she could face the man lying beside her in bed.

"I think I owe you an apology. This was not how ..."

His fingers on her lips stopped her to say anything else, and her eyes grew wide as he pulled the sheet off her body as he slipped out of bed. She was lying completely naked on the mattress, his eyes devouring her and stirring up new desire. She wanted to pull him back into bed, and repeat the things they'd done the night before, but Killian stepped back and wrapped the sheet around his middle before getting down on one knee in front of the bed. Emma's breath hitched in her throat as his fingers closed around hers, his thumb brushing over the back of her hand.

"I didn't have the time to buy a ring yet, but …" he trailed off, his eyes finding hers, the intensity of his gaze making it hard to breathe, his next words pushing the last breath out of her lungs. "Will you give me the honor to take my hand in marriage, Your Highness?"

"Yes," she whispered, wondering how she was even able to find the air to form any words. The blinding smile that pulled his mouth upwards brought tears to her eyes, and she pulled him up to her, sealing her lips over his for a thorough kiss before she pulled back to look him in the eyes once again. Her hands were shaking when she cupped his face, but her voice was steady as she said, "I will, Captain."

Two months later Captain Jones and Princess Emma were married and the whole kingdom celebrated the union for a week, and when Prince Constantine was born perfectly healthy six months later, one month too soon to be conceived at the date of the wedding, no one showed indignation but only delight in the couple's happiness.

Because all of them knew right from the start that Captain Jones and Princess Emma were meant to be together. Their love had always been true, and not one soul in the kingdom had ever doubted that Killian Jones would become their future king.


End file.
